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Snap Fitness's around-the-clock gyms enable members to work on their physical well-being with a cornucopia of fitness equipment. With 24-hour access, members don't have to let The Man tell them when to help themselves to Snap's strength and cardio equipment, which features built-in TVs and other media diversions. For those who exercise during conventional hours, Snap's friendly, unintimidating atmosphere welcomes patrons of all ability levels, unlike schoolyard dodge-ball squads. Members also enjoy nationwide access to all Snap Fitness locations, ideal for working out while traveling. For a dose of custom advice, patrons can seek out a personal-training session with a certified coach, who helps them assess and address their fitness goals. Clients reap the benefit of individual attention as a personal trainer helps them tackle weight loss, prepare for an arm-wrestling competition, or unveil the mysteries of arcane cable-weight machines.

Drawing from three different health and fitness certifications and a degree in movement science, Susan B. Stack guides small-group classes in Pilates workouts and aerobic hoop-dance classes. One-hour Pilates classes build up sturdy cores with a holistic take on exercise that combines concentrated breathing and flowing motion. Gentle workouts protect the body by maintaining a neutral alignment of the spine while engaging the abdomen to sculpt stomachs into Michelangelo's David. Clients shatter beads of sweat due to cardio-respiratory exertion in hula-hoop-dancing classes that improve balance, coordination, and motor skills. The simple motion of twirling a plastic ring around the waist builds muscles in the entire body and can transport students back in time to their childhood without the risk of wedgies or changing the future. Group dance classes are typically held at Celebration Belly Dance & Yoga Studio, and Stack limits classes to about eight to ten students to make sure each participant gets individual instruction.

An accomplished performer and member of the Music Teachers National Association and the American Society for Composers, Authors and Publishers, instructional maestro Michael Wheeler uses his professional experience and a collaborative spirit to create individually tailored, one-on-one music lessons for students of all skill levels. Upon arriving for their first foray into song, each student will have their skills, goals, and ability to correctly pronounce "glockenspiel" evaluated, and Wheeler will use the half hour to develop a lesson plan. Lesson number two welcomes fingers to flutter across keys during piano and keyboard lessons, or unlock the traditional sounds of North India and delve into the fundamentals of sitar, dilruba, or harmonium. Together, pupil and teacher select lyrical material that's both personally exciting and age appropriate, saving teenagers from crooning "Moon River" and grandparents from an embarrassing round of "I Got Run Over by a Reindeer."

Operating out of Sacred Medical Office, Deborah Skell helps her clients improve athletic performance and recuperate more efficiently from injuries. The fact that she no longer uses a cane, despite having undergone a trio of hip surgeries, stands as testament to her success with these modalities and her faith in their efficacy. By altering the body's mechanical habits, Deborah helps people walk without limps, jump higher, and move more comfortably.

Just Breathe co-owners and instructors Quincy O'Toole and Mandy Baucum spread their love of movement and wellness through a variety of fitness classes. Though their diverse team of instructors comes from many different backgrounds—including massage therapy, academia, and traditional Chinese medicine—they all share a desire to help guests of all ages and abilities understand their own bodies. During yoga, Pilates, and tai chi classes, they not only work to boost strength, flexibility, and endurance, but to also relieve stress via meditation. They also host Nia aerobic classes, which blend movements from dance and martial arts.

As they enter the training circle at Curves, female guests come face-to-face with the smiles of other women. And just as points on a circle share a common distance from the circle's center, workout participants share the experiences of those nearby, trading stations throughout the 30-minute training session. One minute is spent on a piece of strength-training equipment built for feminine frames and designed to work two opposing muscle groups with a single movement. Exercisers then move on to a recovery station, where they run, jog, or dance to maintain heart rates and keep platforms in place during momentary losses of gravity.